It’s been an eventful few months for online gamblers in Ontario. Four months ago, the Alcohol & Gaming Commission (AGCO) introduced new rules and made Internet gambling legal for the first of all Canadian provinces. Online casinos and sports betting websites can now apply for an official AGCO license and offer games of chance to ON residents.
Shortly after the legal change to online gambling, Ontarians reported troubles logging into their existing player accounts. Let’s dive into what’s happening and how to solve potential sign-in issues.
AGCO Doubles Down on Enforcing Legal Gambling
Canada has been a legal battleground for years regarding online casinos, sports betting, and lotteries. While Canadian law prohibits participating in games of chance unless government-appointed bodies operate them, the rules are unclear around Internet gaming.
Operators from other countries have used this loophole to offer real money games to Canadians from all provinces. Since the legalization of online gambling in Ontario, things have changed.
Ontario and the AGCO clarified their rules and regulation and closed all existing flaws by issuing gambling licenses, and as such, operating without such a license is 100% illegal.
As a result, most online casinos without an AGCO license shut down their services in Toronto and other cities. Therefore, if your current casino login in Ontario isn’t working anymore, chances are that your operator of choice is considered unlicensed as of April this year.
New Legal Frameworks Benefits Ontarians
If you’re locked out of your player account, there is no need to get stressed, as you still have several options to gamble online.
Brands like LeoVegas, PartyCasino, and Unibet have already obtained an Ontarian license, and more casino and betting websites will follow in due course. If registering with a new site sounds like a lot of effort, wait until you hear about the benefits.
First of all, signing up with a new operator means you’re eligible for the welcome bonus. In most cases, you can double your first deposit and get some free spins on top.
Second, licensed casinos must fulfil strict requirements to obtain and keep permits. For players, it means you can be sure that games are fair, winnings get paid out, and responsible gambling tools are in place. Gone is the anxiety that something cannot be right or that customer support won’t respond for days.
Are Unlicensed Operators Still an Option
In case this hasn’t convinced you, how about signing up with an unlicensed online casino in Ontario? Is this still possible?
From a legal perspective, it shouldn’t be possible because the AGCO made clear that online casinos without a permit do not operate in a grey area but are in breach of current law.
Of course, there will be unlicensed operators who don’t play by the rulebook and still offer casino games to Ontarians. However, players are advised not to sign up with these gambling websites because they leave them entirely unprotected. Since you have the choice between legal and illegal, you should always choose the former and stay on the safe side.
